Food – Page 16 – slightly weird

10th February 201810th February 2018

Food and Dolls

I love going to La Chapelle. It’s a restaurant that is housed in what was the assembly hall of my mother’s old school, Central Foundation School for Girls. When I first came to London, they were in the middle of demolition and I was sad that it was disappearing. So I was pleased that a piece of the school was still standing. It was slowly transformed into a fantastic restaurant space, La Chapelle, by Galvin.

I’ve had almost perfect meals here, with a few exceptions. I always go for the discounted meals, a few pounds off or a free cocktail thrown in. It’s not the cheapest place to eat but it’s far from the most expensive.

My friend, Caroline, and I went to La Chapelle at the end of January. I chose the roast beef and she chose pheasant. In a way I felt I copped out but I knew they do a great job on a roast and I don’t make it at home.

A delicious meal and for once I couldn’t finish the whole three courses and had to go without my usual coffee, which is served with a beautifully presented bowl of treats – truffles and macarons. Another time!

**My soup and dessert -couldn’t finish!**

La Chapelle - a view from outside — **La Chapelle – a view from outside**

Anyway, look out for those deals and let me know how you like La Chapelle! Continue reading “Food and Dolls”

25th January 201829th January 2018

DeBeauvoir Town, Gainsborough Studios, Plaquemine Lock,The Wellcome Collection

Thursday, 25 January, 2018

After some wet and windy days, when staying home seemed exactly what was best, there was some fair weather. Perfect for a long walk. I say long but these days 5k seems to be my limit. I find this very sad but carry on walking and taking breaks wherever I can.

My goal today was to find an art gallery, Victoria Miro, down at the fast developing area of City Road Basin which leads off of Regents Canal. I was also curious about a pub that claimed to serve authentic Creole and Cajun food. And from there make our way down to see the latest Wellcome Collection exhibit.

We managed all of it!

We started at Haggerston, by the canal. They’re really developing this area and it’s much prettier later in the year but it’s one of the more developed canal neighbourhoods. This side is a bit older.

Walking through the DeBeauvoir/Hoxton neighbourhood you come across Gainsborough Studios apartments on the south bank of the canal. The film studio was active between 1924 and 1951, best known for the Gainsborough Melodramas it produced in the 1940s, including the films of Alfred Hitchcock. The studios were demolished and flats were built in 2004.

Alfred Hitchcock sculpture — **Gainsborough Studio flats’ nod to Alfred Hitchcock – this bronze sculpture**

The City Road basin area is developing quickly and looks to be yet another modern high rise neighbourhood. It’s shiny and clean but lacks the soul of the older streets. One day, I suppose all of London will look like this but I’m happy that I have the chance to see the old and the new coexist, each interesting in their own way. Today there was a lot of walking to do so there are no photos of the new basin flats – another time.

New builds — **New neighbourhood emerging close to Regent’s Canal in Hoxton**

Older Hoxton — **The older streets of Hoxton. How long will they remain?**

Continue reading “DeBeauvoir Town, Gainsborough Studios, Plaquemine Lock,The Wellcome Collection”

23rd January 201823rd January 2018

Short trip to Westfield

Monday, 21 January, 2018

Yesterday, after two failed attempts, I made it to Westfield – I had three goals. To try on some shoes on sale at the Ecco store (they’re on sale online but I don’t know my size) to buy some photo albums at the WHSmith sale, and to pick up some dumplings for dim sum.

I’m not a fan of shopping malls. Westfield has two big ones – the first was at Shepherds Bush, the second at Stratford – on opposite ends of London.

Stuff about Westfield – just a bit at least – at the bottom of my blog!

Walking from the bus towards one of the station entrances. This is one of two stations in my neighbourhood, Hackney Central

Hackney Central entrance — A narrow slope takes you up to the station. It can get pretty crowded at rush hour

Refreshment Stand, Hackney Central — There’s a little refreshment stand near the Station Hall. Now that a chain coffee place has opened just on the street outside, I’ve wondered if business has sufered. The sign reminds people it’s cheaper here!

Hackney Central is an Overground station. It used to be called The North London Line and it was a fast but nasty train route across North London from east to West. Then London Transport took it over and cleaned it up. It changed from dirty and rundown to clean and modern. It’s now a pleasure to use. My main uses are from here to Stratford, or in the other direction to Camden, and beyond.

Hackney Central station hall — In the station hall. There are just two platforms, for trains running east or west across north London

Hackney Central platform — The trains run every ten minutes this time of day and I had nine minutes to wait. I’m the queen of missing trains and buses

Open carriages on the Overground I first saw this open carriage concept in Spain many years ago. It finally arrived in London in 2009 with the Overground, and now I see it everywhere Continue reading “Short trip to Westfield”

23rd January 201823rd January 2018

Trivia! Dates, dull days, daffodils, simple food, and dolls!

Tuesday, 23 January, 2018

How do you say the name of the year? Since 1999 is said nineteen-ninety-nine, it’s odd that I persist in saying two thousand eighteen. Pretty sure that I’ll start anew when it’s twenty-twenty, which has a nice if scary ring to it. Trivia.

Such dull days deserve a little colour and M&S already have daffodils! They’re the usual pound a bunch so I got two. I’ve stayed home more than I wanted to and made do with things in the fridge a lot of days.

On this particular day, along with the usual burrata dish, I came up with a salad made with beets, squash, soft goats cheese and toasted walnuts. Not bad. Am slowly working my way towards a no-sugar, low but good carb eating pattern. It’s always felt good to me and yet I persist in eating too many sugar and carb meals. Even this salad isn’t the best – beets being sugar and the squash being a starchy food. More trivia.

With the days being so dark and even cold – it actually snowed for a while on Sunday – I made another doll as a surprise for a friend who is into witchy pursuits. She is ready to be posted.

I’m happy with how cute she is.

15th January 201827th January 2018

A walk to Tesco – pictorial essay

Monday, 15 January, 2018

Today I woke up to a very cold, windy and wet day. The skies are dark and I’m glad I have nowhere special to go. I’ve decided to document my neighbourhood a bit by taking a walk in different directions and doing a pictorial essay.

I’m planning several so if this is not your thing, move along!

My first walk was to the Tesco supermarket yesterday and nothing could be more routine than that. Explanations in the captions under each photo.